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Worrying can make you physically anxious
for example, increase in heart rate,
butterflies and feeling tense. When people
experience the physical symptoms of anxiety,
this usually leads to more worrying about
the symptoms, creating a vicious cycle.
There are lots of practical steps you can
take to combat your worrying and to break
the vicious cycle. These are techniques that
I share with my clients at my NLP and
Hypnotherapy practice in Hertfordshire.
Identify and clarify the worrying
thought: Often worrying thoughts are
experienced as several fleeting
ideas and
images that race through your mind. Spending
the time writing down exactly what it is
that is worrying you brings the thought out
into the open. This in itself can show the
worrying thought up as being less scary then
when it was just in your head. Sometimes
these thoughts are so automatic and quick
that I will spend time at my NLP and
Hypnotherapy practice, Hertfordshire helping
clients identify worrying thoughts.
Explore what the worse thing that could
happen would be if the thought was true:
Often you will find that it is much easier
to cope with a clearly defined worst
outcome, then the product of your
imagination, which is usually fantasy based
and much worse!
Look at the thought logically: This
involves examining the objective evidence of
whether the thought is true. Create two
columns on a piece of paper and on one list
evidence to support the thought and under
the other list evidence that disputes the
thought. This is a process that is used at
Hypnotherapy, Hertfordshire. The therapist
works with the client to elicit the
evidence, using a series of questions
designed to help the person broaden their
view of the situation.
Another point of view: Try looking at the
worry from another perspective. For example,
what would you advise a loved one who was
concerned over the same thought. Also think
about other times in your life when you
would feel different about the worry.
What are the benefits or losses of
holding onto this thought: Look at whether
holding onto your worrying thought helps or
hinders you.
Over-generalising: Are you viewing the
situation/self in all or nothing terms e.g.
complete disaster------- totally perfect ?
Actually rate your thought out of 100% to
remind yourself that your worry is probably
somewhere other then complete disaster on a
sliding scale.
Take Action: Rather then passively
worrying which does not benefit you, look at
whether there is anything you can do about
the situation. Make a list of action steps
that you can take.
Free time: If you are always worrying
then become stricter with yourself and how
you spend your time. Dedicate a set time to
worrying, ensuring that within your time you
set goals for action or work on your worry
by going through all the steps to combat
worrying already discussed. Then set
dedicated time each day for relaxing - time
where you will practice distracting your
thoughts from worrying. Becoming proficient
at a good body relaxation technique can be
really useful. |
